The present invention relates to a device for pivotable and slidable suspension of sheets, such as a window-panes for glazed verandas or balconies.
A device of the type stated by way of introduction is known from Patent Specification WO 94/09238, in which a sliding element system with guide wheels at the upper rail and a supporting wheel at the lower rail is disclosed. For the lower wheel to follow the correct path, a groove is formed in the lower rail. The forming of the lower wheel with a rounded running tread which abuts against the edges of the groove results in the wheel turning relative to the groove when pivoting the sliding element, which causes the wheel to rise. This motion is used to let a pin adjacent to the upper wheel enter a hole in the upper rail. When the pin is positioned in the hole and the lower wheel is positioned transversely in the rail, these two elements are locked in relation to the longitudinal direction of the rails and, thus, the sliding element cannot tilt when in the open position. Since the wheel should be oriented in the direction of motion when the sliding element is to be moved, this construction does not allow the sliding element to be passed round a corner. Should its direction of motion be changed, it is necessary for the rail to be bent with a large radius. The above publication discloses that the sliding elements can be passed round a corner, but in that case the lower wheels are not fixed in their position relative to the sliding element, which results in the above-mentioned locking function being lost. In order to realise this constructional idea, a large number of components are necessary and this makes the solution expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,806 discloses a further variant of how it would be possible to suspend window-panes or sliding elements. In this construction there is only an upper rail, in which carrying elements holding the sliding element can move. There are two carrying elements for each sliding element, one in each of the two upper corners. Each carrying element has two wheels which have vertical axes of rotation and are mounted in a vertically spaced-apart relationship and run in two grooves in the rail to prevent the sliding element from tilting about the longitudinal direction of the rail. To hold the weight of the sliding element, there is a horizontal running surface in the rail section, on which at least one ball castor included in the carrying elements moves. Sliding elements suspended in this manner cannot be opened by a turning motion about one of the carrying elements and can only be pushed along the rail.
There are a number of variants of these two systems, but the differences reside in how many wheels are positioned in the various fixing elements and how the various wheels are positioned relative to each other (see WO 92/17673 and WO 93/08355). These variants comprise a large number of components. They also require narrow tolerances in connection with the mounting of the rails to function in a satisfactory manner.
An object of the invention is to provide a suspension device which is designed in a simple and robust fashion. It should also be possible for the suspended sheets to be passed round a corner having an arbitrary angle. Combining flexibility and tolerance towards incorrect mounting with stability is also a problem that should be solved.
With a device according to the present invention, a number of advantages over the current technique are achieved.
A spherical bearing which carries the weight of the sheet results in possible directions of sliding not being limited in any way. The cylindrical portions included in the fixing elements and extending through the slots in each rail have the same Possibility of sliding motions as the spherical bearing. By adapting the diameters of the cylindrical portions to the width of the slots, it is possible to adjust the flexibility in the fixing elements. Since the cylindrical portions extend in the vertical direction, a relative vertical motion between rail and fixing element is allowed. With a thin wall of the section of the rail on that side where the slot is cut, the cylindrical portions can be inclined to a considerable extent although there is a small difference in diameter and width (and, thus, good stability).
By arranging a ball castor at the very bottom, the sheet can be passed round corners having an arbitrary angle and it can also be moved more easily along the rails. Such an arrangement also causes less wear on fixing element as well as rail.
If the fixing elements are formed to have an elongate cross-section over part of their length, which part is adapted to follow a groove in the rails, an automatic locking function is achieved if holes are formed along the centre line of the groove which have a diameter exceeding the width of the groove since the elongate cross-sectional portion is then turned tQ be locked in these holes when making the sheets pivot.
If the distances between the fixing elements of the different sheets are the same, all sheets will have the same pattern of motion when being passed round a corner. It is then possible to adjust the distances in such manner that, for instance, they go clear of, for example, a balcony rail which is mounted just outside the lower rail. Since all the fixing elements are positioned in the same way on the sheets, a larger opening must usually be made in the rails, which for many of the existing constructions constitutes an insurmountable obstacle. In the inventive suspension device, however, this can be done since the ball castor is guided by a protruding edge of the section on the side of the centre line of the rail where the opening is positioned. Special smaller recesses can be made in the protruding edge to facilitate the insertion and removal of the castor.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.